Four Ways to Keep Your Adult Dog's Weight Ideal & Healthy

How to make sure your dog attains his ideal weight and maintains a healthy weight for life.

1. Track your dog's weight Losing weight can propel your dog toward better health, but only if the weight is lost in a healthy, controlled manner. To make sure your dog is losing weight at a normal pace, make sure to weigh your pet regularly, use a weight tracking chart to track your dog's progress, and assess your dog's body condition score regularly.

Most veterinarians' offices have a scale available to use free of charge. If you have a small dog you can use your own scale holding your dog and subtracting your weight.

2. Include healthy activity When you feed Hill's® Science Diet, Ideal Balance™ or Prescription Diet® dog food you know your dog will be eating healthy. However, your dog's weight management program isn't complete without a healthy amount of physical activity. Whether it's a game of fetch or a walk in the park, make sure your dog is getting the physical activity he needs to get and stay healthy.

3. Visit your veterinarian often Make frequent visits to your veterinarian to ensure that your dog’s weight management program is going smoothly. Your veterinarian knows your dog’s ideal weight, how fast he should be losing weight and which foods are best for each stage of the weight management plan.

4. Maintain an ideal weight for life Your dog's weight management plan shouldn't be temporary. Once your dog has attained his ideal weight, switch to a simple weight maintenance plan that consists of regular exercise and proper nutrition.

Your dog may gain or regain weight more easily than others. Breed, age, food selection, state of health and a variety of other factors can determine how quickly a dog gains weight, and what kind of nutrition he needs to help control it. If you think your dog might be in need of a weight management program, ask your veterinarian for advice.